Mercedes came very close to winning a race for the first time this season during the British Grand Prix in 2021. Lewis Hamilton seemed to have come on his own after George Russell\’s early retirement during their home race. Lewis single-handedly fought off with Ferraris and Red Bulls at the front. Mercedes had a great opportunity of winning. But a late safety car hampered their hopes, resulting in an eventual P3 in Silverstone. Hamilton was optimistic about his team\’s performance and claimed that the Silver Arrows had reached a turning point in the championship.
However, there have been doubts about Mercedes\’s performance as they head to Red Bull\’s home for the upcoming race in Austria. Talking after the race in Silverstone, Lewis commented that being able to fight with the frontrunners was hugely encouraging. The Briton stated that the upgrades worked well, and there was a definite improvement in the race pace. However, he reminded that his team was not in the winning position yet but not too far either. The seven-time world champ shared that the Silver Arrows are on a turning point but still on the bend. As per Lewis, his team still had a lot of work to do to make big improvements to the W13.
![\"Hamilton](\"http://soapoperadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hamilton-troubles.jpg\")
This year Mercedes has been restricted to being the third-fastest team on the grid after being constructors\’ champions for eight straight seasons since 2014. The German outfit has showcased some potential pace in Barcelona and Silverstone. However, they struggled on the three street circuits after Spain. And chances are that the team is likely to have some troubles during the upcoming race in Austria. The Red Bull Ring is short and fast, with unique high-speed straights and turns. Hence, the circuit change could cause some troubles for the Silver Arrows during the upcoming weekend.
Wolff Not Too Optimistic About Mercedes\’ Performance In Austria
Talking about Mercedes\’ chances in Austria, team principal Toto Wolff said his team was back in the game in Silverstone. However, the former Austrian racer pointed out that their recent success does not guarantee a competitive run in Austria. Wolff mentioned Mercedes\’ struggled at the street circuits in Monaco, Baku, and Montreal after showing some pace in Barcelona.
![\"Mercedes\"](\"http://soapoperadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/toto-wolff-pensive-face-abu-dhabi-planetf1-1200x630-1-1024x538.jpg\")
Thus, the Mercedes boss refrained from talking his team up and being too optimistic. But Toto shared that Austria has always been tough for the Silver Arrows. There are a few corners that they do not like. The Mercedes principal concluded, \”It\’s a very different track to Silverstone and one that hasn\’t always suited us in the past.\”
Formula One will now gather in Austria during the upcoming weekend for the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring. The racing action will kick off with FP1 at 12:30 p.m. EST on Friday, followed by the qualifying at 4:00 p.m. Moreover, on Saturday, we will have FP2 at 11:30 a.m. and the Austrian GP Sprint at 3:30 p.m. And Sunday\’s main race is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. EST.
